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Open Source Contribution for beginners 🔥

Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻 on August 30, 2020

How I got started with open source Let me be honest, when I first heard about open source contribution when I was learning CSS, I though...
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Steve (Gadget) Barnes

It is worth pointing out that you don't have to be able to code in order to contribute. There are many ways to contribute to Open Source projects and in most cases the developers will be happy to have the contributions. Some ways to contribute:

  1. Bug Reports - A well written bug report that includes the exact version and environment that you are using as well as how to reproduce the bug is a bonus for the developers (unless it duplicates an existing on so search first. Of course it is nice if you can also contribute a fix in the form of a pull request but if you have described how to reproduce the problem then you have defined a test case. Just be polite!
  2. Documentation Improvements or examples of usage - saves the developers a lot of time.
  3. Translation Assistance - If you read & write more than one language then you can be a big help in producing translated documents &/or user interfaces.
  4. Beta testing - You wouldn't think it but developers love people who will take a pre-release of their code and then try to break it. It is always better if a beta tester breaks it than 100s of users do!
  5. Feature suggestions - ideally backed up by some effort on your part or of course if you are willing & able to fund the development....
  6. Money is *usually * appreciated as long as there are not strings attached even if it is at the cup of coffee level.
  7. Reviews and Social Media - most Open Source developers want their code to be used.
  8. A simple "Thank-you - I think your stuff is great!" in the newsgroups, at a conference, etc., is a meaningful contribution.
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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Even Use Experience and design can be part of the contribution. Great input Steve. Thank you :)

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Ariane

This article is so helpful. I'm looking to make my first open source contribution and you have made this goal feel totally within reach. I'm also REALLY excited to learn about Outreachy - so cool! Thank you so much!

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

That's amazing Ariene, glad you loved the post. I hope you apply for the program. All the best :)

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Lex

👍😁👍✌️

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Hahha, thanks :)

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Pablo Herrero

Amazing post 👏👏👏👏 thanks!!!

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Hope it helps in any way. 💯🌟

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Ryan Perry

Amazing post!!! I recently discovered dev.to and I created an open source project where we're looking for some contributors: github.com/pyroscope-io/pyroscope

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Banji

Just WoW :)
Keep it up Jane
Need more posts like this in the community ;)

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Thank you Banji. I will keep on writing. 🌟🙂

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uma victor

Wow...nice post Tracy.👌

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Thank you Victor. 💯🌟

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Mazedul Haque

Thanks for sharing

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Thank you for reading :)

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Brian Okanga

Good read👌

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Thank you, Brian :)

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Brijesh yadav

thanks for writing somthing very helpfull

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

I appreciate it, Brijesh. 🙌
Thank you

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Ebrima

Another great post.

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Thank you Ebrima :)

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Lara Giuliana

It was so helpful to me. Thanks Jane 👾🥰

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

Glad it was helpful, Lara 🙌💕

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R̶a̶h̶u̶l̶ 𓅓

woahhh very helpful mate !!! thanks

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Jane Tracy 👩🏽‍💻

I am glad it will be useful. Share it also to someone else who will find it helpful. 🌟🙂